What it is
A range north of Gondar where the plateau drops away in a wall of cliffs and free-standing rock spires. Ras Dashen, at 4,543m, is the highest point in Ethiopia. The park gate is at Debark, about three hours from Gondar by road.
Why go
Gelada — grass-eating primates found nowhere outside Ethiopia — graze in troops of hundreds and will let you sit a few metres away while they do it. Walia ibex on the cliff faces, lammergeier riding the updraughts. The walking follows the top of a thousand-metre drop for days at a time.
When to go
October to March. October and November are greenest. December to February are the coldest, with frost at camp and nights below freezing. Avoid June to September entirely. A day walk from a lodge near the escarpment gives you the view and the geladas; three or four days on foot with mules gives you the range. A scout is compulsory. Warm kit and hill fitness matter far more than any technical skill.
Most people stay 3-5 nights.